OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The police chief of Nebraska’s largest city says an Omaha police officer killed in the line of duty was shot just above the top of her protective vest.

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer gave more details Thursday of the shooting that killed 29-year-old Officer Kerrie Orozco on Wednesday. The chief said Orozco and another officer had responded to a call for backup from officers who came under fire from the heavily-armed suspect.

Schmaderer says 26-year-old Marcus Wheeler fired on police who tried to arrest him Wednesday afternoon. Orozco and another officer soon arrived and chased after Wheeler, who turned and fired on them, too.

Orozco was hit, and died at a local hospital. Wheeler was also shot and killed. Schmaderer says Orozco did not fire her gun.

 

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has ordered flags in city to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Officer Kerrie Orozco, who was killed Wednesday in the line of duty.

Stothert says flags should remain at half-staff until dusk Monday on Memorial Day.

Stothert said Thursday the move is a sign of respect for Orozco and her service to the city.

The city also plans to turn lights at the Heartland of America Fountain and on the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge blue beginning Thursday night through Memorial Day.

Stothert is in Florida for her son’s wedding on Friday. She will return to Omaha on Sunday, ahead of schedule, to participate in services for Orozco.

YORK, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska woman who testified that her home was a temple of drugs has been convicted of four drug charges.

Online court records say 53-year-old Brenda Hines, of York, on Wednesday was found guilty of three similar charges of possession for sale and one of maintaining a place for drug trafficking. Hines was acquitted on one charge: possessing drug money.

Hines is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13.

Hines testified that what she called her Temple of Zion reflected her religious beliefs and that God provided the marijuana she sold to temple members.

But prosecutor Candace Dick said during her closing arguments that, “We cannot interpret the Bible in our own way to justify breaking the law.”

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Three teens have been arrested on suspicion of burglary in Grand Island.

Police arrested two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old, and referred another 15-year-old to juvenile court.

Police say a burglary was reported at a residence, from which several items were taken. Capt. Dean Elliot says police have recovered some of the items, which included weapons.

According to police, a neighbor who was mowing his lawn saw the suspects fleeing the house and provided a partial license plate number.

Authorities also say they recovered two items that had been taken from Grand Island Senior High School after speaking with one of the suspects.

The suspects were transported to a juvenile detention center in Madison.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha’s police chief says an officer shot while helping serve an arrest warrant has died, as has the suspect.

Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said Wednesday that 29-year-old Officer Kerrie Orozco died at Creighton University Medical Center shortly after the 1 p.m. shooting. Schmaderer said the suspect, 26-year-old Marcus Wheeler, also died at the hospital.

The gunfire erupted while officers were trying to serve a felony arrest warrant on Wheeler. He was wanted on warrant accusing him of previous shooting in Omaha.

Paramedics performed CPR on both the officer and the suspect as they were taken to the hospital.

Schmaderer says Orozco was a seven-year veteran of the department and worked in the gang unit.

Schmaderer spoke at a news conference at the hospital.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The children of a Nebraska couple facing charges in connection with the deaths of a woman and 4-year-old boy will remain in state protective custody.

A judge said Wednesday the children of 25-year-old Roberto Martinez-Marinero and 24-year-old Gabriela Guevara will remain in state protective custody while a police investigation continues.

Martinez-Marinero is accused of killing his 45-year-old mother and 4-year-old half brother. He is also accused of leaving his infant half brother in a dumpster. Guevara is accused of helping Martinez-Marinero.

The pair is expected back in court in early June.

tLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say the driver of a semitrailer that started an eight-vehicle crash in eastern Nebraska was distracted prior to the incident.

Lancaster County Chief Deputy Sheriff Jeff Bliemeister says 56-year-old Nathan Quigley, of Sioux City, has been cited for careless driving in connection to the Tuesday afternoon crash on U.S. 77.

Bliemeister says Quigley wasn’t paying attention and didn’t see that other drivers had stopped for a red light. The semitrailer hit the back of a vehicle, causing a chain of crashes.

Three people were sent to a hospital. Two were discharged Tuesday and one remained hospitalized Wednesday morning.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Some Lincoln residents want ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft to provide better access for people with wheelchairs.

The companies require drivers to accommodate riders with collapsible wheelchairs.

But Lyft’s website directs people whose wheelchairs won’t fold into a trunk to seek another transportation service for a ride.

Uber has partnered with other groups to provide wheelchair-accessible transportation in eight U.S. cities, but it hasn’t announced plans to do so in Lincoln or Omaha.

Representatives for Uber and Lyft say the companies are working to make their services available to as many people as possible. Both companies moved into Nebraska last year.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 21-year-old man has been killed in a car accident on the southwest side of Lincoln.

The accident occurred a little before 3 a.m. Wednesday. Police Capt. Jeff Bucher says the car went out of control, hit an electrical pole and flipped several times. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Bucher says the man’s name isn’t being released until relatives have been notified about the man’s death.

NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — A local YMCA wants to buy the old Norfolk city auditorium, saying it needs the space for its gymnastics program.

The executive director of the Norfolk Family YMCA told the City Council on Monday that even though there’s costs attached to fixing the auditorium that’s more than 75 years old, it’s a better alternative than seeking another site that could cost up to $2.1 million.

City figures show it would cost around $100,000 in capital improvements in the near future to keep the building viable. It doesn’t include the $41,000 needed each year for maintenance, upkeep and heating costs.

The YMCA wants to purchase the building for $1.